Kerala SSLC Urdu key terms

Urdu prose: writing that flows in ordinary sentences and paragraphs rather than in measured lines. Kerala SSLC prose lessons, essays, letters and stories all fall under this heading.

Urdu poem written in rhymed or free verse lines with a set metre. The SSLC poetry section asks candidates to read, explain and appreciate such poems.

A poem of usually five to fifteen couplets sharing one rhyme and refrain, each couplet carrying its own thought. Common in the poetry lessons of the course.

Free verse in Urdu: poetry that keeps rhythm and poetic feeling but drops strict rhyme and fixed metre. Contrasts with the classical ghazal form.

A single couplet of Urdu poetry made of two lines, called مصرع اولیٰ and مصرع ثانی, which together complete one idea.

One line of a couplet or poem. A sher has two misras, and the rhyme scheme is judged by the ending of each line.

The rhyming word or sound that closes each line of a ghazal or poem. Matching qafiyas at line ends create the music of verse.

The same word or phrase repeated immediately after the qafiya at the end of every couplet in a ghazal. It must be identical each time.

The metre of an Urdu poem, a fixed pattern of long and short syllables. Scanning a line against its bahr shows whether the verse is metrically sound.

The exercise of breaking a verse line into its metrical feet to identify its bahr. Useful when a question asks which metre a poem follows.

Explanation of a verse or passage in the candidate's own words, bringing out its meaning and feeling. A standard question type in the poetry section.

The main idea or central thought of a lesson or poem, stated briefly. Questions often ask candidates to sum up the markazi khayal of a text.

The subject or theme a piece of writing deals with, such as patriotism, poverty or friendship. Naming the mauzu is often the first step in answering a comprehension question.

A short summary that keeps the main points of a lesson or story and drops detail. Writing a khulasa tests whether the candidate has understood the whole text.

A short story with plot, characters and a single effect, usually ending with a turn or lesson. Several prose lessons in the course are afsanas.

The arrangement of events in a story, from beginning through complication to resolution. Questions on an afsana may ask how the plot unfolds.

A character in a story or play, described by actions, speech and the author's comments. Character sketches are a common prose question.

A composition written on a given topic in organised paragraphs, with an introduction, body and conclusion. The composition section of the paper usually offers a choice of topics.

A letter written to a relative or friend in informal style, with salutation, body and closing. Letter writing is a regular composition task in the examination.

A formal application written to an officer or institution, following a set layout of address, subject, body and signature. Asked in the composition section as a practical writing skill.

A noun: a word naming a person, place, thing or idea, such as لڑکا, کیرالہ or محبت. Recognising ism is the base of Urdu grammar questions.

A verb: a word showing an action or state, such as پڑھنا, جانا or ہونا. Grammar questions ask candidates to pick out the verb and identify its tense.

An adjective: a word that describes a noun, such as اچھا, بڑا or خوبصورت. It agrees with the noun it qualifies in gender and number.

A pronoun that stands in place of a noun, such as میں, تم, وہ or ہم. Correct use of pronouns keeps writing clear and avoids repetition.

Tense of a verb: past, present or future. Urdu verbs change form for mazi, haal and mustaqbil, and questions test whether the tense is used correctly.

Conjugation: the full set of forms a verb takes with different persons, genders and tenses. Practising gardan helps in filling blanks correctly.

Singular number, referring to one person or thing, as opposed to plural. Urdu nouns and verbs both change between wahid and jama.

Plural number, referring to more than one. Urdu forms plurals in several ways, for example کتاب سے کتابیں and لڑکا سے لڑکے.

Masculine gender. Every Urdu noun is either muzakkar or muannas, and adjectives and verbs must match that gender.

Feminine gender. Words such as لڑکی and کتاب are muannas, and the verb and adjective used with them take feminine form.

An idiom: a fixed phrase whose meaning cannot be guessed from its separate words, such as آنکھ کا تارا. Idiom questions ask for meaning or for use in a sentence.

A proverb, a short well-known saying that carries advice or folk wisdom, such as دیر آید درست آید. Candidates may be asked to explain or complete one.

A synonym: a word with nearly the same meaning as another, such as خوش اور مسرور. Synonym questions test vocabulary breadth.

An antonym: a word opposite in meaning to another, such as دن کا رات or اونچا کا نیچا. Antonym questions appear regularly in the grammar section.

Words or vocabulary as a whole. The syllabus expects a working stock of words drawn from the lessons, used correctly in sentences.

Everyday usage: words and expressions as they are actually spoken and written in daily life. Questions on rozmarra check whether a word is used naturally.

Spelling. Marks are lost for misspelt Urdu words, so candidates should practise the spelling of lesson vocabulary and of common grammatical forms.

Translation, usually from English or Malayalam into Urdu, or of an Urdu passage into another language. Tests accuracy of meaning and natural target language.

The ending or conclusion of a story, essay or letter. A good ikhtitam ties the piece together and leaves the reader with the writer's point.